“Tundra.” He tried the name out with the same serious expression he used when Faith put a new vegetable on his plate. “I guess it will work.”
Dad tickled Ryder. “You guess?”
Ryder squirmed and giggled. “Grandpa!”
Drake reached over and added a few tickles under Ryder’s chin. He twisted, and Pax barely grabbed him under the bum to keep him from sliding off the seat.
Snowball licked her calf as if none of this was her concern. She would focus entirely on her little one for the next few hours.
Tundra’s pelt started to dry. She was the same tawny color as her mother; had the same big brown eyes. Faith and Caleb moved back from Snowball so she could get up if she wanted to. The baby would have a physical and receive vaccinations, but not today.
Snowball pushed up to standing, her body shuddering with the effort. She took a step to the water bucket and drank deeply. Faith nodded as she watched the normal behavior, keeping her distance as she circled the reindeer and calf, giving momma a visual checkup.
She turned to Natasha, knowing she wanted Faith to interact with their followers. Faith was a fan favorite with her beautiful long brown hair, country-girl style, and can-do attitude. Their most viewed video was of Faith climbing into a mudhole to rescue a teenaged reindeer. She ended up covered in mud and gunk so thick that her teeth were the only part of her that was clean. “Everything looks good.” She spoke to Natasha’s phone. “She’s the picture of health.”
Natasha grinned at her. “You’re getting so good at this.”
Faith blew a piece of hair off her forehead. “I’m glad one of us thinks so.”
Usually one to pile compliments on top of compliments, Mom was unusually silent. Drake found her watching the little calf intently. It wouldn’t be long before she needed to nurse, which meant she had to stand up.
Snowflake turned from the water bucket and slowly made her way to her baby. She got behind her and began nudging her to her feet.
With wobbly legs and a firm set to her jaw, Tundra struggled to her hooves. Unlike horses and cows, reindeer had thick skin and fur to protect them from sharp rocks and other dangers. Snowball encouraged Tundra with a huff.
Tundra took her first step, and Drake fisted his hands to keep them from shaking.
If she was a flier, her next step would be in the air, and then the actual work began.
They would pack up momma and baby and take them to the indoor barn, where they stabled the rest of the fliers. He’d be the one to drape the baby over his legs on the four wheeler. Snowflake would have to walk behind. It was hard enough for a flying reindeer to raise a flying calf, one who couldn’t fly would be at a complete loss. Snowflake would have a new home in the barn until it was time to wean the baby.
Tundra undulated in place, as if trying to teach her legs what to do:Move. The momentum propelled her forward, and she took three more steps across the field grass.
Drake's shoulders fell, the taste of failure burning across his tongue.
Forest groaned.
Natasha turned off her phone and sighed heavily.
Jack took off his ball hat and threw it on the ground.
Faith silently wiped tears off her cheeks. Caleb wrapped her in his arms. “It’s not your fault,” he said as he kissed her hair.
Drake turned away from the tender scene. In the depths of his disappointment, he didn’t need to be reminded that he was alone and wouldn’t ever have a beautiful woman to hold when his world stopped turning. He liked being single. He chose this path and would continue on, no matter how much his brothers insisted he was an idiot.
After a lifetime of being the youngest brother, he liked not having someone tell him what to do.
Which was why he’d built his cabin already.
His brothers had waited until they were married to claim their plot of land on the long drive up to the ranch. Not him. He wanted to do things his way and enjoyed every decision he’d made on his own. Countertops. Cabinet color. Type of flooring. Floor plan. Furniture. All of it was his and his alone.
“What if your wife hates it?” Pax had asked when the large semi pulled up with the logs for the exterior.
“I’m not going to have that problem,” Drake replied.
Pax opened his mouth and then waved him off, as if arguing his point was pointless. Pax was also single and didn’t show any signs of wanting to put himself out there and date. Which meant he wasn’t going to find a wife anytime soon–so why did he care if Drake did or did not want one?
Drake’s only problem with being single was that his brothers made being married look so good. They doted on their wives, doing all sorts of things to make them smile. Just the other day, Forest finished the porch swing he’d been secretly working on and installed it for Mitzi while she was at the grocery store. Drake was working on a fence nearby when Mitzi pulled into the driveway to find Forest rocking/waiting for her. She’d flown from the car and kissed Forest like he was some kind of superhero.
